Growing up, I never had what was known as 'girly interests'. I always stood out from the crowd for my peculiar interest in paleontology. I was described as imaginative because my head was always in the clouds thinking about dinosaurs, while my hand was glued to a pencil sketching them. People tried to make me abide by the 'social norms' of girls. 

Statements such as "Women should not pursue scientific fields" and "You should find a more reliable career choice". Despite these remarks, I didn't let them discourage me from chasing my dreams of being a paleontologist. My hard work and determination helped me land a place in the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin to begin my career in geosciences. 

Starting my first semester at UT, I struggled a lot with introductory classes. I wasn't learning like everyone else was, I had a lot of difficulty concentrating. I was frustrated that my peers could learn simple topics easily, while I had to put in 10x more effort to only do half as well. I thought I wasn't intelligent because I failed my introductory chemistry class, but in reality, I have a different learning style than the typical student usually has. I found comfort in other students who also faced the same challenges I did.

 The support I received from my friends, professors, and family encouraged me to not let failure define my future. Knowing that I wasn't alone helped me push forward to become the scientist I am now. I found creative ways to blend my talent in art with geosciences, and it has paid off greatly. Now I am involved in various projects, which include research in the appendicular anatomy of aetosaurs, statistical analysis of Cenomanian shark teeth, and working as an Artist in Residence for the National Park Service-Paleontological Society! Besides my research, I am also the founder and president of the Texas Dinosaur Club - UT's student organization based on paleontology!